Quick answer: Wash the bite or scratch with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes, apply an antiseptic, and see a doctor today for the first rabies vaccine dose. Rabies is present in Bali and is almost always fatal once symptoms start — but vaccination after exposure is highly effective. Don't wait to see if the animal stays healthy. Deep bites that bleed may also need rabies immunoglobulin (RIG); monkey bites also need assessment for B virus.
Medically reviewed by Dr. I Dewa Gede Angga Triadi Nata, General Practitioner
STR: VX00001499498410 · SIP: MR51032507002112 · Reviewed November 2026
Go to hospital now for heavy bleeding that won't stop, a deep bite to the face, neck or hand, or signs of shock — call 118 or 112. Wash the wound on the way if you can.
Wash the wound for at least 15 minutes
Use soap and running water — a tap, shower or bottled water. This is one of the most effective things you can do to reduce rabies risk. CDC advises up to 20 minutes.
Apply an antiseptic
After washing, apply povidone-iodine (Betadine) or an alcohol-based antiseptic if you have one.
Cover it loosely
Use a clean dressing. Do not try to close or tape a deep bite shut — bite wounds are often left open to lower the risk of infection.
Note the details
What animal, where, when, and whether you provoked it (for example, by feeding or touching it). A photo of the animal helps if it is safe to take one.
See a doctor today
The first rabies vaccine dose should be given on the day of exposure. Don't wait until you get home and don't wait to see whether the animal stays healthy.
Doctors use the WHO categories to decide what you need. Your doctor makes the final assessment.
| Category | What happened | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| I | Touched or fed an animal, or it licked intact skin | Wash the skin. No vaccine needed. |
| II | Nibble on bare skin, or a minor scratch or graze without bleeding | Wash the wound + rabies vaccine now |
| III | Bite or scratch that breaks the skin, saliva on broken skin, eyes or mouth, or any contact with a bat | Wash the wound + rabies vaccine now + rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) if not previously vaccinated |
If you completed a rabies vaccine course before your trip, you usually need only two booster doses (days 0 and 3) and no RIG.
Monkey bites and scratches are common in Indonesia, usually when people try to feed or touch the monkeys or when monkeys grab bags, sunglasses or phones — for example at Pura Luhur Uluwatu, Ubud Monkey Forest and Sangeh. Bali's monkeys are long-tailed macaques, so two risks need a doctor's attention:
Any mammal can carry rabies. A monkey bite or scratch that breaks the skin needs rabies vaccination, and RIG if it is Category III and you were not vaccinated before.
A herpes virus carried by macaques. Human infection is rare and no infections in travelers have been documented, but it can be very serious. CDC advises that anyone bitten or scratched by a monkey is assessed for an antiviral medicine (valacyclovir).
Worldwide, dogs cause up to 99% of human rabies cases, and Bali has many free-roaming dogs on beaches, rice-field paths and cliff walks. Treat every dog bite or scratch that breaks the skin as a possible rabies exposure, even if the dog seems to belong to someone.
Cat bites are small but deep and become infected easily, so a doctor may recommend antibiotics in addition to rabies vaccination.
More details: rabies vaccine in Bali.
"The animal looked healthy, so I'm fine."
An infected animal can look normal. Rabies in people is almost always fatal once symptoms start, so vaccination should not wait.
"It's only a scratch."
Scratches and grazes without bleeding are still a Category II exposure that needs vaccination.
"I'll sort it out when I get home."
The first dose should be given as soon as possible. Start in Bali and continue the schedule at home with your documentation.
"It happened days ago, so it's too late."
It isn't. The incubation period is usually 2–3 months (sometimes as short as a week), so start vaccination now if you have no symptoms.
Wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes straight away, then apply an antiseptic if you have one. Then see a doctor the same day for the first rabies vaccine dose and an assessment for B virus, tetanus and infection.
Yes. Rabies is present in Bali, and an infected animal can look normal. WHO advises immediate vaccination after any bite or scratch that breaks the skin. Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms start, so do not wait to see what happens to the animal.
Minor scratches or nibbles on bare skin without bleeding are a Category II exposure, and WHO recommends wound washing and immediate rabies vaccination. A lick on intact skin, with no break in the skin, is Category I and needs only washing.
RIG is needed for Category III exposures, such as bites or scratches that break the skin and draw blood, or saliva on broken skin or the eyes or mouth, in people who have not completed rabies vaccination before. People who were fully vaccinated before need only two booster doses (days 0 and 3) and no RIG.
B virus is a herpes virus carried by macaque monkeys, the type found at Bali temples and Ubud Monkey Forest. Human infection is rare and no infections in travelers have been documented, but it can be very serious. CDC advises that anyone bitten or scratched by a monkey is assessed by a doctor, who may prescribe an antiviral medicine.
No. Start rabies vaccination as soon as possible, even days or weeks later, as long as you have no symptoms of rabies. The incubation period is usually 2–3 months but can be as short as one week, so contact a doctor today.
Yes. Start in Bali on day 0 and continue the remaining doses at a clinic in your home country. Ask for written documentation of the vaccine brand, batch number, dates given and next due dates.
At Dewa Medical the rabies vaccine is about IDR 1,300,000 per dose. Rabies immunoglobulin, if needed, is IDR 10,000,000–15,000,000 per ampoule, and adults often need more than one because the dose depends on body weight. A home visit fee applies for hotel or villa visits.
💉 Rabies Vaccine in Bali
Post- and pre-exposure, schedule, cost
🧪 Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG)
Who needs it and when
🐒 Rabies Vaccine Ubud
Monkey Forest bites and scratches
🛕 Rabies Vaccine Uluwatu
Temple monkeys and cliff-path dogs
🩹 Wound Care in Bali
Cleaning, dressing and follow-up
🚑 Is This an Emergency?
When to go straight to hospital
Educational only — not a substitute for a doctor's assessment. Reviewed by Dr. I Dewa Gede Angga Triadi Nata, GP (STR: VX00001499498410) · November 2026. In an emergency call 118 or 112.
Rabies vaccine and wound care at your hotel or villa · Open 9AM–9PM daily
WhatsApp +62 823 4091 9695